British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has confirmed that Britain has agreed to provide limited military support to Saudi Arabia to repel attacks by the Houthis.
Burnham told reporters aboard his flight to the United Nations General Assembly in New York that he agreed the Royal Air Force will provide air-to-air refuelling for Saudi aircraft.
The temporary agreement is scheduled for a matter of weeks, though Burnham noted it will remain under active review.
UK officials confirmed the mission will commence in the coming days, deploying an RAF Voyager tanker to refuel Saudi jets conducting "defensive" operations.
"I am acting to secure the interests of Britain and the wider region, because of course Saudi Arabia has been experiencing attack, is looking at potential further disruption, and we need to keep those pathways open," Burnham stated, referring to vital maritime oil channels.
Reignited conflict
Hostilities within Yemen have reignited sharply, with Houthis launching ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi territory, including a strike targeting Riyadh on Saturday that was intercepted by air defences.
The Houthis have declared a blockade against Saudi maritime transit across the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab Strait—a chokepoint accounting for roughly 12 percent of global trade—targeting commercial vessels and energy facilities within the kingdom.
Earlier this month, Houthis advanced across coastal sectors, capturing the strategic port city of Mokha and key Red Sea islands, allowing the group enhanced surveillance over maritime navigation.
Condemning the strikes, London reiterated its commitment to "work with partners to support regional stability, protect civilians and support humanitarian access."
While previous US administrations engaged in direct strikes against Houthi targets, Washington has shown no appetite for military intervention in the latest escalation.
The deployment follows reports that Riyadh formally requested air-defence backing from international partners, including Britain, France, Egypt, and Pakistan, to counter incoming missile and drone salvos.
